Ask Janet Buening what problems Hyde Park residents have with a proposed residential/restaurant/office development off Madison Road and she can tick off a long list.

Residents fear Capital Investment Group’s proposal to construct a mixed-use, multi-story building and parking garage just south of the Rookwood Commons & Pavilion isn’t a good fit for the surrounding residential neighborhood, says Buening, a Hyde Park Neighborhood Council trustee.

Residents are concerned that the development would worsen existing traffic congestion, Buening says, threaten the safety of pedestrians and require changes in zoning that was carefully crafted to limit commercial development in the residential community.

To put it bluntly, “No one has expressed support for the proposed zone change,” Buening says.

That said, Buening emphasized that the Hyde Park Neighborhood Council has not voted to take a position on Capital Investment Group’s proposed development since the project continues to change and evolve.

“Hyde Park Neighborhood Council wants to maintain productive communication with Capital Investment Group and offer input as a final plan is developed,” Buening said.

Capital Investment Group of downtown Cincinnati began buying property in November 2015 and has since then repeatedly revised its plans for the roughly triangular piece of land bounded by Madison Road to the south, Besuden Court to the west and the Wasson Way bike trail and Rookwood Commons & Pavilion in Norwood to the north.

The company presented four development options at a meeting with Hyde Park residents in mid-March and is returning next week with yet another round of revised plans.

All of the plans are grounded at and around LaRosa’s Pizzeria at 2684 Madison Road and the former Pig & Whistle sports pub at 2680 Madison Road.

“The Pig & Whistle building has been vacant for several years and has become a blighted property, an eyesore near a major intersection in our community,” Buening said.

“The community welcomes development at this site.

“But Hyde Park, established as a residential community with limited business and retail, wants development that is a good fit for the neighborhood and doesn’t have a negative impact on the nearby residential streets,” Buening said.

“What the residents clearly want and what Hyde Park Neighborhood Council historically has supported is development that enhances, not encroaches upon, the community.

“Capital Investment Group’s plan to rezone some, but not all, residential property on Besuden Court and some, but not all, office limited property on Madison Road does bring commercial use into the residential community,” Buening said.

“Since multiple development plans are under consideration, it is impossible to say what the exact impact on Besuden will be, but any of the proposals will severely impact the residential quality of this street.”

Danielle Discepoli lives on Besuden Court.

“Citizens throughout Hyde Park and the surrounding areas have many concerns about Capital Investment Group’s proposed development,” Discepoli said.

“The most common concerns are an increase in traffic to an already busy area and the fear for pedestrian safety, the size of the project, especially in regards to residential density, and the overall impact this project will have on the community.

“Since the initial announcement of the project, over 100 citizens have voiced opposition by way of reaching out to me via email, signing petitions, writing to city council members and showing up to community meetings,” Discepoli said.

“Community members want their concerns to be heard and taken into account in the design proposals.”

Want to know more about what is going on in Hyde Park? Follow me on Twitter @jeannehouck.